


bi the way

by aurorean



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Ending, Bisexuality, Coming Out, Dick is a mess, Everyone is Bisexual, F/F, F/M, Literally everyone - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Pride, Repressed gay feelings, and so am i, it's a young justice requirement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 06:32:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15504396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurorean/pseuds/aurorean
Summary: “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe here.” Zatanna took his hands again. “I get it. You’ve probably never told anyone before.”“Told anyone what?” Dick asked, a bewildered look in his eyes.“That you’re…” Zatanna looked at Dick, realization dawning. “Wait, Dick, you’re bi, right?”A moment passed. Dick stared at Zatanna, shocked. He didn’t know what to say. The Boy Wonder, Batman’s mentee, had been rendered speechless.(or; dick is bi and everyone knows it but him)





	bi the way

**Author's Note:**

> dick is so hard to write for me his yj and comic book personalities contrast and it confuses me uguguggg
> 
> i know i got the timeline totally wrong but i promise i researched as much as i could!! 
> 
> yeah everyone is bi it's just a thing don't worry about it 
> 
> (canon chalant and spitfire; implied birdflash and snaibsel)

Dick knocked hard and fast on the door to Zatanna’s room. His entire body felt hot, flaming, burning. It wasn't a good burn, but it wasn't bad, either. He just wanted it to go away, and he thought making out with his girlfriend would speed up the process.

Zatanna opened the door. “Hey, Dick, what--" 

He cut her off, mashing his lips against Zatanna’s--he used a lot more force than what was probably necessary, but hey, he was freaked out and desperate and he had really, really missed her. Or something. He wasn't exactly thinking.

His hands found Zatanna’s hips, eagerly walking her backwards into the room. She moved her lips against his, just as eager, unbuttoning his shirt as they walked. The backs of her knees hit the bed and they tumbled onto the mattress, Dick’s hands framing Zatanna’s,face. Yes, that was normal, that was good. Dick pulled back and started kissing Zatanna’s neck, his hands riding up her shirt. Just as he was starting to get into it, Zatanna’s hands pressed up against Dick’s chest, hard, forcing him off her.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop.” Zatanna sat up and pressed her fingers to her temples. 

“Everything okay? Are you okay?” Dick sat back on his heels, pushing his hair from his eyes. In his desperate frenzy to stifle the weird feeling in his chest, consent had slipped Dick’s mind. Red-hot guilt began to rise in Dick’s stomach, and Zatanna seemed to notice. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I was totally into it, you weren't taking advantage of me,” Zatanna explained hastily. 

“Then...why’d you stop?” Dick self-consciously began re-buttoning his shirt. Now that the heat of the moment had faded, he felt strangely exposed. 

“You have this glazed look in your eyes. It’s like you’re not even here.” Zatanna narrowed her eyes. “Or you’re imagining being somewhere else. _With_ someone else.” 

Dick froze in his place. Cold, constricting panic gripped his chest. No, no, that wasn't right, he was just horny and frenzied, nothing else. He looked back at Zatanna, who was staring at him accusingly, waiting for his explanation. 

“I’m not cheating on you, I promise. I don't even have feelings for anyone else, I just--" Dick stopped, unable to find the words to explain himself. “I don't…I can't…” 

“Hey,” Zatanna said softly, taking Dick’s hand. “What’s up? Talk to me.” 

Dick slumped against the headboard, keeping his eyes locked on a spot on the ceiling. “I don't know. I was just training with Wally, and all of a sudden I felt really hot and flustered and it didn't make any sense so I thought I was...y’know...” 

Zatanna waved her hand dismissively, giving Dick a weird look he couldn't quite decipher. He squinted back at her. 

“What? What is it?” 

“What exactly happened before you started getting all hot and bothered?” Zatanna asked.

“Well, I was showing Wally a new maneuver while we were practicing, and he said he was sweaty so he took off his shirt and…” Dick trailed off, his eyes widening. “Zatanna, I don’t--”

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe here.” Zatanna took his hands again. “I get it. You’ve probably never told anyone before.” 

“Told anyone what?” Dick asked, a bewildered look in his eyes. 

“That you’re…” Zatanna looked at Dick, realization dawning. “Wait, Dick, you’re bi, right?”

A moment passed. Dick stared at Zatanna, shocked. He didn’t know what to say. The Boy Wonder, Batman’s mentee, had been rendered speechless.

Dick opened and closed his mouth. “I’ve only dated girls. I like girls,” he whispered, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself rather than Zatanna.

“Bisexual people like girls, Dick. They like both. That’s kind of the definition of the sexuality.” Zatanna looked at him worriedly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push anything on you.”

“I know you didn’t, I’m sorry.” Dick buried his face in his hands. They sat in silence, Zatanna rubbing his back while he processed. After a few minutes, Dick straightened up and sighed, leaning his head against Zatanna’s.

“So? What’s going on up there?” Zatanna turned her head, touching their foreheads together.

“I never considered it. Being bi. I thought the feelings I had, I thought they would pass,” Dick admitted, huffing out a quiet laugh. “Just a phase, right?”

“Have you told anyone about those feelings? Wally? Alfred?” Zatanna pursed her lips. “Bruce?”

Dick laughed again, but this time there was no amusement in it. “No. Never. I can’t imagine what he’d think.”

Zatanna nudged his side. “Ah, c’mon. He’s your dad. He probably already knows. I mean, remember your first Nightwing outfit?” Dick snorted, rubbing at his eyes. “He must’ve gotten at least an inkling then. Besides, have you seen the way he looks at Clark?”

Dick let out a real laugh at that, smiling wearily at Zatanna. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” She pressed a small kiss to his forehead and rested her head on his shoulder. He sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They sat like that for a bit, letting the silence envelop them. Zatanna broke it after a few minutes.

“We still need to talk about what happened with Wally.”

Dick froze, tightening his grip on her shoulder. “I-I know. I’m just--”

“Scared, I know.”

“Yeah.” Dick exhaled a long breath. 

“So,” Zatanna started. “Do you have feelings for him?”

“No.” Dick answered immediately. “Well, maybe. I must’ve when we were younger, when my teenage hormones were at their peak and Wally being Wally, y’know?” Zatanna nodded understandingly. “And I guess those repressed feelings never quite went away.”

A beat. Dick’s hand tightened around Zatanna’s shoulder. “But I don’t like him like that now. If anything, I was just feeling extra hot and bothered from last night, right?” Dick said that last part breathily, leaning close to Zatanna’s ear. Zatanna rolled her eyes but indulged him. 

“Oh, yeah? Did Wally’s hot pecs remind you of me?” She asked teasingly, looping her arms around his neck.

“You bet they did,” Dick whispered, his hand trailing up her leg.

Zatanna snorted and leaned up to kiss Dick, hard. All the tension from their previous conversation devolved, and it wasn’t until they had reached a lull in their activities and Dick had excused himself to the bathroom that he let himself let out the breath he’d been holding.

With shaky hands, Dick turned on the faucet to muffle the sharp breaths he was taking. He leaned over his clenched hands, letting the tears roll down his cheeks. But he was smiling. His laughs were choked and strained but he was laughing nonetheless. He was bisexual. He liked guys. And that was okay. 

Just as he was starting to calm down, Dick heard a short rapping coming from the door. He quickly turned off the faucet and rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, babe?”

“Everything okay in there?” Zatanna asked, a tinge of worry in her voice.

“I’m okay, Z.” Dick smiled at himself in the mirror. “I’m great.”

\--

Over the next few days, they didn’t bring up what they had talked about. Dick was avoiding it, really. Sometimes, he would look at Wally and feel something weird in his stomach and all the pride he had felt in the bathroom would disappear, replaced by fear. Zatanna seemed to notice. 

Dick was practicing on the uneven bars in the gym when Zatanna walked in. His expression never changed but he could feel his heart rate spiking. It was obvious by the way she was standing: she wanted to talk. Dick didn't know if _he_ wanted to. He was still wrapping his mind around the whole sexuality thing, and right now he just wanted to flip around the gym until the thoughts in his brain untangled. 

“Hey,” Dick called, dismounting and landing in front of Zatanna. He observed her carefully as he approached her. Her usual cool, casual demeanor had vanished; she kept crossing and uncrossing her legs, and she was fingerspelling nonsense words--which usually meant she was nervous. 

“Hey,” Zatanna replied. The fingerspelling stopped. Dick took note of it.

“What’s up, babe? Something on your mind?”

“Do you remember that one Halloween when Artemis and I went after Harm?” Zatanna asked, rather bluntly.

Dick paused. He hadn't been expecting anything like that. 

“Uh, yeah. He killed his sister, right?” Dick grabbed a towel from his gym bag and started wiping the sweat off his face.

“Yeah, he did. Good job remembering the horrific details, babe,” Zatanna teased.

Dick laughed and nudged her with his elbow. “Did you come in here to ask me about some sacred-sword-wielding, sister-killing maniac or…”

“That really was a weird night, huh?” Zatanna walked over to a bench next to the door and sat down. Dick followed her over, sitting next to her. “That's not it, no. It’s about Artemis.” 

Dick cocked his head inquisitively but didn't say anything. 

Zatanna took a deep breath. “When we were kneeling next to Greta’s grave, I felt pretty emotional. When I looked over at Artemis, my whole body felt like it was glowing, or something, I don't know. What I do know is that I had _never_ felt like that before. It was amazing, it was _beautiful._ ” Zatanna looked up at Dick, her face suddenly solemn. “That was the moment I realized I had a crush on her.” 

Dick blinked. Once. Twice. Zatanna looked at him, her bottom lip between her teeth, looking like she was barely containing her excitement. 

“Did you just come out to me?” Dick said, a smile slowly spreading across his face. Zatanna grinned at him and slowly nodded. Dick let out a whoop and tackled her with a hug. Zatanna started laughing as Dick squeezed her and gave him a messy kiss on the cheek.

Dick pulled back abruptly and held Zatanna by her shoulders. “Wait a sec, you knew you were bisexual when I had my whole crisis last week?” 

“Well yeah, but I didn't want to steal your moment! It seemed like it would be a lot to throw that on you right then and there,” Zatanna explained. 

“Oh, you are such a wonderful woman,” Dick sighed, and pulled her in to kiss her. She happily reciprocated. 

After a bit, Dick broke the kiss and leaned their foreheads together. “So.” 

“So.” 

“What now?”

“You need to tell Wally,” Zatanna said firmly. 

Dick recoiled sharply. “What?” 

“This has been eating you up inside, Dick, I can tell. If you tell him, you _will_ feel better. I told Artemis almost immediately and it felt so _good_ to get it off my chest. After I confessed, I felt so relieved that someone finally knew. Telling people helps. You don't even have to tell him you used to have feelings for him,” Zatanna said, her voice growing stronger and more convincing as she talked. 

“I guess you're right,” Dick murmured. “I don't know, I’m just--" 

“Scared?” Zatanna smiled at him and placed a hand on his cheek. “Of course you are. Anyone would be. But telling him is what you want, isn’t it? So do it.” 

“Okay." Dick let out a sigh and leaned into Zatanna’s touch. “Okay.”

\--

A month after Dick and Zatanna’s talk, Dick had yet to tell Wally. So when Wally had offered to spar with Dick, he had been hesitant. Wally had been distant lately, and Dick had been assuming the worst. He had found out. Zatanna had told Wally. Or Artemis. Or Barry. It had been so long since he and Wally had hung out, and this seemed too out-of-the-blue. Dick allowed himself a few seconds to panic before composing himself and agreeing.

“So,” Dick said, adjusting his gloves. “Where have you been lately?”

Wally’s mouth tightened. Dick’s detective brain started up. Before he could start solidly calculating the situation, Wally responded.

“School has been tough. It’s hard to focus on both college and hero stuff. But the ladies like an educated man.” Wally grinned at Dick, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Dick winced. “Yeah, as if you’re actually going after any of those college chicks. You’re a taken man and Artemis would have your head.”

Wally rolled his eyes but this time Dick could see his smile in them. “I’m sure Artemis wouldn’t mind if I offered to woo someone for the both of us to enjoy.” Dick narrowed his eyes and Wally smiled impishly. “ _In bed._ ”

“You’re gross, and I’m telling Artemis you said that,” Dick said, rolling his shoulders. “Now square up, college boy.”

“Ooh. Feisty,” Wally purred, raising his fists. Dick felt his face, no, his _body_ heat up. Why was he falling for that? Great, now Wally was looking at him weird. Dick exhaled, rolled his neck, and threw the first punch. Wally easily dodged and retaliated, and soon Dick fell into a rhythm. Punch, block, dodge, and repeat. Easy.

“Actually,” Wally panted, swiping at Dick’s face. He ducked and Wally crossed his arms to block Dick’s next hit. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Dick faltered, throwing his fist too far, subsequently throwing him off balance. Wally took advantage of his slip-up and socked him the stomach. With a yelp and a sharp intake of breath, Dick collapsed to the floor, clutching his stomach. 

“Sorry sorry sorry! I hit way too hard.” Wally rushed over and kneeled beside him, carefully pushing Dick into a sitting position. 

“S’alright, it was a fair hit,” Dick groaned, taking slow, deep breaths.

“I’ve never seen you slip up that bad, buddy,” Wally said, his voice playful but concern in his eyes. “Is everything okay? That happened because I told you I wanted to talk, right?”

Dick didn’t meet Wally’s eyes, instead pushed himself to his feet, despite Wally’s protests. “If we’re gonna talk, we’re gonna need to keep sparring.”

Wally nodded, watching Dick warily. He got back into sparring position and waited for Dick to make the first move. Dick stepped forward and threw his all into his first punch. He used enough force that when Wally blocked it, he had to press his heels into the ground to keep his body from sliding. If Wally noticed how upset Dick seemed, he didn’t mention it.

“You wanna go first?” Wally asked, blocking yet another furious punch.

“No,” Dick replied curtly, cursing himself for letting his voice waver. “You wanted to talk, so go ahead. I’m listening.”

“Right.” Wally had yet to counter any of Dick’s punches, simply blocking and dodging. Dick raised an eyebrow at him. Wally’s gaze was fixed to the ground. All it took was a sweep of Dick’s leg to send Wally sprawling. 

“Okay, what’s wrong, Wally? Spit it out,” Dick said, standing over Wally and crossing his arms. Wally glanced up at him, worry etched deep into his features. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. Dick deflated, feeling all the hostility draining out of him. Dick lowered himself to the ground and sat next to Wally, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

“We’re best pals, Wally. You can tell me.”

“Artemis and I are retiring,” Wally said quietly. His fingers starting tapping furiously on the concrete as he watched Dick’s face, gauging his reaction. At first, Dick didn't react, letting the words sink in. Then, all at once, the emotions hit him. 

“What?” The anger was evident in his tone; Dick tried so hard to keep his voice level but still it betrayed him and hitched up several pitches. “Why? Why are you leaving?” 

“I can't _do_ this anymore, Dick!” Now Wally was getting emotional. “Maybe this is what I wanted as a kid, but not anymore. People get _hurt_. I want a life of my own, a life I can live without being afraid that one of these days the people I love aren't going to come back to me.”

“You signed up for this just like the rest of us, Wally,” Dick said, his voice shaking. “You can't just say this now.”

“Yes, I can. I thought the last straw was going to be Tula but you all just kept going. And now Jason is dead, and I can't handle this any longer,” Wally spat and pushed himself to his feet, realizing his mistake too late. 

Dick stared up at Wally, his face contorted. Wally froze. “Wait, Dick, no, I’m sorry--”

“ _You_ can't handle it?” Dick got up, clenching and unclenching his fists. “He was my _brother._ ” 

“I know, I know, I'm sorry. But he was my teammate too, Dick. His death hurt all of us,” Wally said. 

“No, it didn't.” Dick’s voice was scarily calm. “You replaced him so easily. Tim got here and you all pretended like Jason never existed. He was my brother, and I loved him.” His voice broke, and he covered his mouth with his hand and muffled a sob. Wally stepped forward but Dick held his other hand out, shaking his head. Wally waited as Dick composed himself. Dick rubbed at his eyes harshly before turning to look at Wally. 

“My brother died but I’m still _here_ , Wally. I'm here to keep that from happening to anyone else ever again.” 

“I can't stay, Dick. Next time, it could be Artemis. It could be you, Dick. You know I couldn't handle that,” Wally whispered. 

“Then you’re leaving me behind, Wally. I hope you can handle _that._ ” Dick turned away from Wally and left the room. He refused to look back, no matter how much he wanted to.

And to think he was going to tell Wally. He had been ready. But now he was leaving. 

Dick was able to keep himself together until he reached his room. That was where Zatanna found him an hour later, curled up into a ball on his bed. Without a single word, Zatanna gathered him up into her arms and let him cry.

Wally left. 

\--

A few months later, Kaldur left to embark on his undercover mission with Black Manta. That was a painful loss within itself. Dick had hugged him, tight, before watching him leap off the dock into the ocean. He had no idea when he’d see him again. Artemis wrapped an arm around his shoulder and slowly they walked back to her car. 

“He misses you,” Artemis said after Dick had buckled himself in and she had started driving. Specifically because she knew he couldn't escape. 

“Yeah? Why doesn't _he_ tell me himself?” Dick huffed, fully aware he sounded like a petty teenager. Which, in a way, he was. 

“Because he's a coward, Dick,” Artemis deadpanned. Dick snorted. Artemis frowned at him. “And so are you, Boy Wonder.” 

“Hey, respect the ‘wing.” Dick crossed his arms. “And I'm not a coward, _he’s_ the one that left.”

“I left too,” Artemis said quietly. 

Dick sighed. “Yeah, I know. But you didn't bring up my dead brother when you talked to me.”

“He feels bad about that. Really bad, actually, he won't shut up about it." She smiled faintly as Dick snorted again. “He misses Jason too, Dick. You were so happy when Bruce adopted him, and it was only natural for Wally to be excited too.”

“When did this turn into a talk about Jason?” Dick asked, blowing out a long breath. 

“Sorry. Still hurts?” 

“It always will.” 

It was quiet after that, only the sound of the turn signal breaking the silence. Dick glanced at Artemis. A strange sense of resolve rose up in Dick’s chest and with a sudden lapse of judgement, he was opening his mouth and--

“I’m bisexual.” 

Artemis didn't say anything at first, and Dick was scared she was about to open her mouth and say something awful--but then she started _laughing._

“I can't tell if this is good or bad,” Dick said, bewildered. 

“Are you stupid? Was that supposed to surprise me?” Artemis wheezed, leaning forward onto the steering wheel. She yelped and jumped back when she accidently pressed the horn, but still she kept chuckling. 

Relief filled Dick’s body and he sagged back against the seat. “Thank God.” 

“Man, you and Wally. Both so nervous over something so obvious,” Artemis said. Then she froze. “Oh, whoops.”

Dick gaped at Artemis. “ _Wally?_ ”

“You cannot tell him I told you!” Artemis cried, smacking Dick’s shoulder as he started laughing. “Oh, shut up! The only reason I knew was because of the way you two idiots looked at each other when you were goofy little teenagers." 

Dick choked on his laughter and began coughing into his elbow. Artemis looked at him, only half-concerned, and pounded on his back. 

“Wally like-- _cough_ \--Wally-- _Jesus_ , Arty, stop!” Dick swatted her hand and cleared his throat. “Wally liked me?”

“You look like your fifth-grade crush just agreed to be your Valentine,” Artemis snorted. Dick rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I think he did. But you two were idiots who went and kissed pretty girls just so you could ignore the unexplained feelings you had for each other.” 

Dick’s lips tightened. Artemis was being surprisingly insightful. “Wally loves you, Arty. It's a miracle, really. I always thought he'd never be able to be monogamous.” 

Artemis laughed. “Yeah, I know he loves me. I’m just mad that you two missed your chance when you had it.” 

Dick looked down at his hands. His fingers folded and unfolded over each other, fidgeting in order to keep the tears at bay. Artemis reached over and covered his hands with her own, and gently linked their hands together. They were quiet the whole way back to Mount Justice.

\--

Zatanna got nominated for the Justice League. Dick was unbelievably happy for her, but the moment she zeta’d out to meet the League, Dick sunk to the floor and buried his face in his hands. That had been it for them. Dick had his duties, and Zatanna had hers. Wally and Artemis had left. Kaldur was gone. Roy had disappeared. M'gann and Connor had broken up and were barely speaking. Everything seemed to be falling apart around him.

God, he missed Wally.

Dick didn't see much of Bruce anymore. He’d moved out a while ago and he’d been too busy with the Team to drop by the manor lately. Barbara, who frequented the Batcave, took note of that and convinced Dick to take a break after watching him collapse from exhaustion during training. Dick begrudgingly agreed. He’d missed Alfred’s cooking, anyways. 

It felt strange to walk in through the front doors after years of entering through the Batcave. It felt strange to walk into his room and see the neatly-made bed and vacuumed carpet. It felt strange to walk through the halls, waving at Tim as he passed by the study, when he used to wave at Jason in the library. He used to be able to tell how Jason was feeling based on the way he waved back. Tim always waved the same.

It all felt strange until Dick reached the staircase. It was the same, the same glistening cedar wood, the same giant chandelier hanging over his head, the same ornate red rug cascading down the steps. In a spontaneous action of nostalgia and self-pity, Dick leaped onto the banister and slid down the stairs, smiling and laughing the whole way down. As tradition required, when he reached the end, he flipped off onto the ground, bowing to an invisible audience. 

Some things never change. 

Dick felt a little bit better now; he was smiling as he walked into the dining room and over to the fireplace, pushing in the secret brick. The fire was immediately extinguished and the fireplace opened up to reveal a firepole. Although Bruce had renovated most of his secret entrances into elevators, Dick preferred using the one remaining firepole entrance for old-times sake. Tim and Barbara thought he was crazy. Jason thought it was the funniest thing in the world. 

Dick took a running start. His feet pounded on the floor, strong and purposeful. He jumped and wrapped his arms and legs around the pole, and he began zipping downward. Dick whooped as he started to gain speed, cool air whipping around him. The floor of the Batcave came into view after a couple hundred feet, and he easily alighted from the pole, running his fingers through his hair to tame the mussed ebony locks once he landed. 

“Evening, Bruce!” Dick called as he walked out of the entrance chamber. 

All he got was a grunt in response from the Caped Crusader, but Dick took it as a win that he didn't get a lecture for shouting so loudly whilst descending on the pole. Barbara had clearly told Bruce to be nice to Dick, and he couldn't say he didn't appreciate it. 

Speaking of Barbara. “Hey, is Batgirl here?” 

Another grunt from where Bruce was huddled in front of the Batcomputer. “Left an hour ago. Jim gave her a curfew.”

Dick snorted and walked up behind Bruce, glancing up at the screens. They were covered in various surveillance feeds, all of them uninteresting. “Aw, what? She’s an adult, isn't she?”

“Her father is the captain of police in the world’s most dangerous city. Batgirl or not, he wants to keep her safe.” Bruce paused the feeds as a person came onscreen. He tapped a few keys and brought up facial recognition. 

Dick hummed a noise of affirmation. “That's fair. She doesn't have patrol tonight?” 

“No,” Bruce said, just as the computer spat out a match for the figure in the feed. He spun around in his chair, startling Dick. “Everyone deserves a break sometimes.” 

There was an implication behind his words that Dick couldn't quite place. Maybe it was his way of telling him that he knew what Dick was going through. Bruce’s gaze had settled on Dick’s face, leaving Dick feeling vaguely _un_ settled. Bruce’s eyes were piercing. Dick felt a tremor pass through him, a tremor he felt in Zatanna’s bedroom and in the car with Artemis. It was a pressure deep in his mind, telling him to _admit admit tell them tell them admit confess confess confess_. It overpowered his judgement once again and as Bruce stared into Dick’s eyes, he blurted it out just as hastily and panicked as he did with Artemis. 

“I'm bi.”

Bruce didn't react. Not at all. He simply said, “I know.”

Dick groaned and buried his face in his hands. “Why does everyone know this and I don't?!” 

“I've seen the way you look at West, Dick.” Ah, there is was. 

“Are you fucking serious,” Dick muttered incredulously. Bruce quirked an eyebrow at the language but said nothing. He turned back around in his seat and continued tapping on the keyboard. 

A realization dawned on Dick. “You did the Batman stare on me. You did--" Dick threw his hands up, utterly scandalized. “You did the stare you do to make criminals confess! You dirty cheater! You made me come out with your stupid Batman-- _UGH!_ ” 

Bruce, of course, said nothing. However, Dick could see a ghost of a smile curling the edges of his mouth in the reflection of the computer screens. 

“Alright, I'm leaving. I’m sure you’re _very_ busy. Save the scare tactics for the criminals, would’ya?” Dick walked towards the closest elevator, fighting to keep a smile off his face the whole way there. Fine. Everyone in his life already knew. Whatever. He still came out to them, though somewhat ungracefully, but he did. He felt weirdly brave, and not-so-weirdly prideful. 

Tim exited the elevator just as Dick reached it. Dick reached out to ruffle Tim’s hair, something he vehemently avoided, but Dick wasn't going to let his affections be dodged, not today. Tim made an offended noise as Dick messed up his hair. Dick just grinned and grinned and grinned.

Tim swatted Dick’s hand away, exasperated, and made his way over to Bruce. Dick cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted: “Tim, I like guys!” 

“Me too, you're not special!” Tim screamed back. Dick burst out laughing and continued to do so as he got into the elevator and exited into the living room and saw Alfred, who simply shook his head and said, “Congratulations, Master Richard.”

“Thanks, Alfred.” Dick’s happiness was infectious, it seemed. 

As Dick made his way back to his room, he couldn't stop smiling. Everything seemed to be getting better.

Man, he had really needed to take that break. 

\--  
_aliensinvasionthereachbluebeetleblackbeetleimpulsewallykidnappedkaldurkillartemiswallywallywallymountjusticegonewallywallywallywallywallypleaseiloveyouendoftheworldreachgonewallyrunrunrunnopleasenonononononononononocomebackican’tdothiswithoutyounonononononononononoiloveyouiloveyouiloveyouiloveyou_

_goodbye_

**Author's Note:**

> i mean, his name is dick, what did he expect


End file.
